Species
Backswimmer
Insects
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Backswimmers are a family of water bugs, Notonectidae, that swim upside down, using their long, oar-like hind legs to propel themselves through the water. Found worldwide in ponds and slow-moving water, they are active predators that feed on other insects, tadpoles and small fish, and can deliver a painful bite to humans if handled. Their common name and the family name, from the Greek for back-swimmer, both describe this characteristic inverted swimming posture.
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